Index or file.



I. FISHER.

INDEX 0R FILE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1911.

1 48,058. Patented Dec. 24, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

IN VENTOR.

WITNESSES.-

I V 1 BY ZMLQU M;

ATTORNEYS.

I. FISHER.

INDEX OR FILE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1911.

1,048,058, Patented Dec. 24, 1912.

- 3 vSIBIIE'IIH'J.S-SHliiT 2.

7 9.5 F a I WITNESSES vyls omau/ 0 ATTORNEYS I. FISHER.

INDEX 0R FILE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1911.

1,048,058. Patented Dec. 24, 1912.

. l 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES: [.VVEATOR:

71-. A TTORNIE) 1',

IRVING FISHER,0F NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

INDEX OR FILE.

" Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Dec. 24, 19.12.

. Application filed July 29,1911. Serial No. 641,375.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRVING FISHER, of the city and county of New Haven and 'State of Connecticut, have invented. new and useful Improvements in Indexes or Files, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, when taken, in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

This invention relates to indexes or files, and more particularly to a class in which each card or member is mounted flatly on a support so as to overlap vertically the adjoining card or member, which in turn projects a short. distance beyond the edge of the former,- thus providing anindex in-which the contents of the projecting portions of i the cards are immediately visible to the eye wlthout preliminary manipulation. The arrangement of a series of cards or members on a single support is substantially the same as thatshown in my application, Serial No. 420,826, filed March 3, 1908, to which reference is made.

The present invention aims to provide a convenient means for supporting a number of card supports in such a manner that the several series of' cards will overlap each other laterally to a certainextent, each series being moreover slidable individually in a lateral direction, and two' or more of such series being slidable collectively, in order to facilitate the manipulation of the cards and the opening up of a space for the insertion of an additional series of cards at any desired point. As a result of this arrangement, the individual cards overlap each other in one direction, and the several series of cards overlap each other in another direc- 'tio'n, the individual cards and the several series of cards being individually and collectively adjustable andthereby providing a compact visible filing system of great convenience. A new series of cards may be inserted at any desired poiiit with as much readiness-as a new-individual card may be ports in place; Fig. 3, a front elevation of the frame and supports showing the upward movement of one support prior to removal;

Fig. 4, a transverse vertical section of a support; Fig. 5, a transverse vertical. section of the base of the frame with a support in full; Flg. 6, a top view of 'a support; Fig. 7, a

detail perspectiveview of the hook at the Fig. 8, an en- In all figures, similar letters of reference represent like parts.

Referring to the drawing, E design'ates a card support on which a plurality of cards or members M are mounted flatwise and substantially the samemanner indicated in my prior application.- At the top of each support E is a hookG to engage a horizontal rod D supported by standardsB from the base, A. The base, side standards and horizontal bar D form a rectangular frame for the several cardsupports on which the lat-ter'are all freely slidable by means of tlfe hooks G which are provided with grooved wheels H running on the top'of the bar D. The movement of the supports E longitudinally of the rod D is limited by the end stops C. Each support may be manipulated by means of'finger grips F extending up: ward from the hook-G.

At the lower end of each support is a lip J to limit the downward movement of the .series of cards on said support. Below the lip J and at the bottom extremity of each support is a pin K adapted to be guided in a slot L extending longitudinally of the base -A. The slot-L is formed by two upwardly converging. plates .0 secured to the base A, as shown in Fig. 5. v

When the supports are, in place in the frame, the wheels H of the respective s'up ports are engaged with the top surface of the bar D at the upper end of the support, while the several pins K are engaged with the slot 'L. When any .support E is raised toa certain extent by means of thelfinger grips F, the pin K will be raised outv of 'theslot L and the support; may then -be removed laterally; from the frame in an obvious nanner. i

The hook G of the support E is directed at an acute angle to the plane of the main portion of the support, as shown in Fig. 6. In this manner, the strips E when suspended from the bar D will not lie in the plane of the main frame but will be at a slight angle to such plane. This provides for an overlapping of the adjacent series or rows of cards, and by properly proportioning the parts, the extent to which the several series of cards may be overlapped can be varied asdesired.

In Fig. 5, is seen a transverse vertical section of the base A with a slot L, and a support E with a series of cards M in full about to be mounted on the frame. The pin K .of the support E is inserted in the opening L. The support E is then moved to a vertical position, as seen at the right in Fig. 3, and then lowered to engagethe bar D with the hook G, so that the wheel H rests on the bar. easily slide along the bar D by means of the wheel H, and the pin K within the slot L.

Fig. 2 shows a plurality of supports mounted on the frame, as described above, illustratingthe manner in which one series M may overlap laterally another series.

, To detach the support E from the frame, the movements are reversed. The support E may be raised by means of the finger grips F or otherwise to a height sutficient to disengage the hook G from the bar D; then moved out from the bar D until the pin K can be freely released from the slot L in which it had been inserted. k

The supports may be mounted by engaging the hook over the bar D, and then raising the support until the extreme inwardly curved end of the support engages the under side of thebar, which movement brings the pin K above the slot L, where it strikes the upper or rear edge of the slot L, whereupon when released the support will" drop into its proper position.

By this invention, an index or file is produced in which each series of cards overlaps its neighboring series, so as to leave one edge of each series visible, thereby economizing space without sacrificing visibility. Furthermore, by shifting the supports laterally the entire breadth of a single series may be uncovered or almost covered at a time and a new series inserted in the space between any two. It is not alone the opening of a space that constitutes the latter advantage, but the fact that in opening such a space a separate shifting of each support is not necessary, inasmuch as a number of such supports are slidable collectively as a unit, as will be obvious.

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An index or file, comprising a plurality of series of detachable filing members,

When thus mounted, it may and means for supporting said members so that each member of a series will overlap the next member, and each series will overlap the next series; substantially as described.

2. An index or file, comprising a plurality of rows of detachable filing cards, and means for so supporting said cards that the cards of each row overlap each other and the cards of the adjacent row; substantially as .described.

. 3. In an index or file, a plurality of rows of detachable filing cards, a device for mounting the cards of each row in overlapping relation with respect to each other, and a common means for so mounting said devices that the several rows of cards overlap each other; substantially as described.

4. In an index or file, a plurality of rows of detachable filing members, devices for mounting the members in each row in over lapping relation with respect to each other, and a frame in which said devices are so mounted that the several rows of filing members overlap in a direction at right angles to the overlap of the individual filing members; substantially as described.

5. In an index'or file, a plurality of elongated supports, a plurality of filing cards slidable lengthwise along each support, and a common supporting means for said supports which permits the adjustment of said supports transversely of their axes; sub stantially as described.

GIIn an index or file, a plurality of series of filing cards, means to mount the cards of each series slidably and in overlapping relation with respect to each other, and means to mount the several series in overlapping relation; substantially as described 7. In an index or file, a plurality of supports, a series of detachable filing members slidably mounted on each support, and

means at opposite ends of the respective supports for so mounting said supports that each series of filing members overlaps the next series; substantially as described.

8. In an index or file, a plurality of. supports, a plurality of filing cards mounted to slide lengthwise of each support into a number of diflerent adjustments, and a frame on which said supports are mounted to slide transversely of their axes; substantially as described. p

9. In an index or file, a plurality of series of filing members, devices to mount the members of each series in slidable and overlapping relation, and a frame in which said devices are so mounted that the several series of members lie in parallel overlapping relation at an angle to the plane of said frame; substantially as described.

10. An index or file comprising a plurality of supports, a series of cards mounted on each support, and a frame engaged with scribed.'

ing them so that each series of cards over-' laps the next series; substantially as described."

11. In an index or file, an open frame, a plurality of strip-like supports, aseries of cards on each support, and means on the respective supports to engage the same with a margin of said frame in such a manner that the supports lie. at acute angles to the frame; substantially as described.

12. In an index or file, the combination of a 'frame'comprising a bar or rod, a support comprising a strip having a hook at its upper end to engage with said bar or rod to suspend said support from the latter, said hook extending at such an angle from said strip that the latter lies at-an angle to the plane of the frame, and a pluralitypf filing cards on said strip; substantially as de- 13. In an index or file, the combination of a substantially rectangular frame, a plurality of strip-like card supports, hooks on the respective supports to engage the latter with one margin of said frame, said hooks being so disposed with relation to the supports that the latter lie at acuteangles to the frame, and a series ofcards .on each support; substantially as described.

14. In an index or file, the combination with a frame having a slotted portion at one side and a bar at the opposite side, of a sup-* port guided along sald bar and having a pin to slide in said slotted portion; substantially as described.

15. In an index or file, a frame comprising a bar, and a base parallel to the bar and having a slot, and a support guided at one supports being adapted to slidably end along said bar and having at the'opposite end a pin to enter the slot in said base;

substantially as described.

16. In an index or file, the combination with a frame, of supports, series of cards slidably mounted on separate supports; said supports beingadapted to slidably engage said frame to ermit two adjoining series of cards to over ap each other laterally; substantially as described.

17. In an index or file, the combination with a frame, of supports, series of cards slidably mounted on separate supports; said engage said frame in substantial parallelism with each-other to permit two adjoining series of cards to overlap each other laterally; substantially as described,

18. In an index or file, the combination with a' frame, of supports, series of cards slidably mounted on said supports, said supports being adapted to slidably engage said rame to permit the shifting of any adjoining series of cards to open a space between them; substantially as described.

19. In an index or file, the combination with a frame, of supports, series of cards slidabl mounted on separate supports, said frame eing adapted to be engaged by both ends of said supports to permit two adjoining series of cards to overlap each other laterally; substantially as described.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand on the 7th day of June, 1911.

IRVING FISHER.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK S. WARD, MABEL H. KINGSBURY. 

